Lawyers launch network against corruption in Abuja

macfranc007 February 01, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Jerrywright Ukwu

- The Abuja chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is set to launch lawyers network against corruption

- The initiative is a brainchild of the recently held town hall meeting of the NBA

- The town hall meeting was in partnership with Nigeria's foremost anti-corruption platform - Say No Campaign Nigeria

The Abuja chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is set to launch lawyers network against corruption after its town hall meeting on Tuesday, January 31, tagged: Citizen's participation in the fight against corruption: The role of Lawyers.

The well-attended town hall meeting was in partnership with Nigeria's foremost anti-corruption platform - Say No Campaign Nigeria.

Abuja chapter of NBA to launch lawyers network against corruption

Cross section of lawyers at the event held on Wednesday, January 31. Photo credit: Say No Campaign Nigeria

Lawyers from the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NIETI) and other government agencies were in attendance.

Delivering a keynote address at the event, the co-convener of Say No Campaign Nigeria, Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu, tasked Nigerian lawyers to join the fight against corruption by deploying their skills in the service of public good.

Mr Nwagwu urged lawyers to deploy their services in the fight against corruption. Photo credit: Say No Campaign Nigeria

His words: “Lawyers must be seen to be uncomfortable with corruption, you can't afford to be lukewarm in the fight against corruption. This canker-worm is capable of consuming generations without trace.

“Decent and self-respecting men and women must help the country retrace its step to that time in our evolution when corruption was an obvious bad, now that we can still view our footprints. You can't afford to be quiet.

“Deploy your skills in service of public good and not evil, don't engage in corruption, if you do, the penile nature of laws against corruption will be defeated ab initio.

“My sense is that many lawyers have diluted the innocent until proven guilty to mean, you are innocent if you have the right amount of cash. This has immeasurably contributed to citizens loss of trust in the government and justice system.”

Speaking to journalists after the address, Nwagwu stated that sometimes it is difficult to in the allegiance of the average Nigerian lawyer.

“Many times, we have come to dilute the innocent until found guilty to mean innocent if you have the right amount of cash and we have seen senior advocates work very hard to prolong cases for generations.

We think that our judicial officers, especially lawyers, have the responsibility to use their skills for public good and not evil,” he said.

He decried the fact that the Nigerian laws create a plethora of corrupt practices and loopholes to escape legal responsibilities.

He also charged Nigerian citizens for whom laws are made, to be educated and to exercise their rights by seeking information on how they are ruled through their direct participation in governance.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Garba Abari, has urged Nigerians to see the fight against corruption as their own fight.

Abari made the comment late last year when members of the Say No Campaign paid him a courtesy visit at the headquarters of the NOA in Abuja.

His words: “The fight against corruption is not just a government fight but a citizens fight. One compelling thing we need to do in this fight against corruption is to work together.”

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